A traffic accident and subsequent rescue mission in Missouri is getting international attention this week, not because the emergency crew was successful in saving a woman's life -- but because a mysterious priest allegedly appeared seemingly out of nowhere to calmly offer a prayer.

KHQA, the local station that first reported the incident, says that nineteen-year-old Katie Lentz, of Quincy, was trapped in her crushed car on Highway 19 near Center, which is about two hours north of St. Louis.

Facebook photo

Katie Lentz.

A driver had apparently crossed the center line and struck Lentz head-on.

The online report with the Missouri Highway Patrol says that Aaron Smith, a 26-year-old from Hannibal, was arrested at 9:42 a.m. and faces charges of felony second-degree assault, DWI and failure to drive on the right half of the roadway. The report says he was taken to the hospital.

Meanwhile, Lentz was reportedly trapped in her car for quite a long time as volunteer firefighters struggled to get her out.

After about one hour, Lentz apparently asked that the rescue workers pray out loud with her.

That's when, rescuers say, a priest appeared.

Here's footage from the station:

Raymond Reed, chief of the volunteer New London fire department, told the station, "He came up and approached the patient and did offer a prayer. It was a Catholic priest. He had anointing oil with him and a sense of calmness come over her then...and it did us as well.... I can't be for certain what who said or how it was said or where it come from, but myself and one of the firefighters that was beside me, we very plainly heard that we should remain calm, that our tools would now work and that we would get her out of that vehicle."

Daily RFT left a message with Reed yesterday, and we'll update if we get a chance to speak with him directly.

Facebook photo

Katie Lentz.

Soon after, the Hannibal Fire Department reportedly showed up and successfully rescued the woman. When rescuers went to thank the priest he was gone, they report.

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A true "non-believer" would read this story and move on without spending the time or energy commenting or responding to other comments. If you are reading this, "non-believer", than a tiny bit of you wants to believe. And why wouldn't you? How wonderful and amazing it would be if it were all true, if God did allow miracles to happen! Don't you want more of this life than just what you see with your eyes?! My faith in God has allowed me to a happy, glass-is-half-full, kind of person not because I don't have challenges, because like all of us, I do believe me! But God allows me to know that everything in the end will be okay. He is always in control and doesn't give us anything we can't handle without the grace to handle it. God is Good and I give Him AND the emergency crew the praise they BOTH deserve!!

Don- yes. I choose to believe in the reality of brave trained first responders and equipment. I believe that the medical team and staff of the hospital did what they are trained to do. Please do not shame and feel sorry for me!! It's condescending to say that! And poof! No proof. Silly. What if a person just up and disappeared? Would there be a manhunt? Yes. A missing person report. Because a story of someone appearing and then poof they're gone- is not logical or sensible. Not sure why you feel the need to shame me like I am in some need of being "saved". Find another door to knock on. We're good here without believing in ghosts/angels/wizards or what ever they may be. What I feel sorry about.... is how feeble minded many people are.

Ill take the word of the first responders over someone with little or no faith that something good happened there, so you dont believe it thats your right, but 19 men who see death and hurt and usually dont imagine things...Gods Angels were there that day...sorry you cant believe....

So what if the priest was there? Really? I mean, there are houses nearby, the road was blocked to street traffic but local traffic would still get through. Just because a priest showed up does not mean he was some magical being and it's ridiculous for anyone to think that. Why didn't God himself or an actual angel show up?

If a priest showed up, then it's more than likely he had a police scanner and does this sort of thing at accidents. It's more probable that he drove to the nearest point he could reach, maybe had to walk across a field, and then leave after he did his thing. There are contradicting stories on different news sites about how far the road was blocked off. Some say 1/4 mile, others say mile, and I've read 1 - 2 miles. If having a priest there helped by giving them comfort, then that's great. I don't believe it was anything supernatural.

I saw only one person interviewed who made these claims. The fire department showed up AFTER this happened, so they only have the first responder's word, and are not witnesses. Since I was not there, did not witness it, wasn't my own experience, and I have only the first respondor's word to go off of, which comes to me as second hand hearsay... I am not obligated to believe it. Nice story though.

Everything is a miracle to people who have no understand of the world around them. its all magic to them. The rescue workers did their job and now people want to give credit for one guy because of their imaginary friend. Its as silly as when the pope was shot and everyone said it was a miracle that god saved him while saying nothing about the 9 doctors who actually saved him. Your imaginary friend doesn't deserve all the credit you people give him.

No mortal man can understand why certain things happen on earth. It's only Gods understanding that can reason why. It is suggested that evil exists so that free choice in life is giving. Life is only possible at this time in which dog eats dog and one consumes another as they believe they have to in order to live as they have learned. One day we shall all who survive into heaven be made aware of the wisdom and in that time suffering will cease.

So, will the priest come forward to say he was nearby walking or will he stay quiet in hopes no one digs too deep and believes that this was an actual "Miracle". If it was a miracle, why didn't Christ himself come to say prayers?

@wonderdude C'mon nothing, sir. Head and facial injuries are difficult to deal with and trauma to the head often has many lasting complications for the survivor; it was a blessing that her head was not injured.